1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an aerodynamic flow control system and more particularly to aircraft or missile afterbody flow control system for enhanced maneuverability and stabilization at low angles of attack. The present invention further relates to a method of operating the flow control system.
2. Technical Background
Traditional aircraft and missile maneuvering technologies utilize conventional control surfaces such as tail-fins and canards to provide control and stability through all phases of an aircraft or missile's flight path. These control surfaces require a significant payload and volume to house the control actuation system for these conventional control surfaces, which includes heavy servomotors, thereby imposing significant limitations on the aircraft or missile aerodynamic performance. In addition, these hinged-control surfaces also reduce the effective payload, maximum achievable range, and lethality of missiles and aircraft.
Conventional missile and aircraft control techniques are not capable of meeting new multi-mission highly accurate, long-range fire requirements that are needed to ensure the multi-target engagement capabilities of missiles or aircraft, particularly “smart” missiles and aircraft. In addition, with missiles the overall cost of the control system per round needs to be minimum without affecting the aerodynamic efficiency of the missiles considering their subsistence period once deployed. The most popular choice of steering control for missiles or aircraft is afterbody or tail-based control due to its flexibility in modifying aerodynamic designs without affecting other surfaces (canards, wings, etc) as they fall out of its zone of influence. The major disadvantages of afterbody or tail-based control is space restriction, i.e., control surfaces must be located in an annular space around the throat of the propulsion nozzle; increased weight; and drag from exposed surfaces. The conventional control surfaces necessitate hinges, which increase the overall weight-induced aerodynamic drag, as well as the complexity of the propulsion system.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages of presently available control surfaces, it is desirable to develop a missile or aircraft aerodynamic afterbody control system flow control system that provides the necessary forces for missile or aircraft control with limited or no use of hinged control surfaces. It is further desirable to develop a missile or aircraft with an aerodynamic control system for maneuvering at low angles of attack. It is still further desirable to develop a missile or aircraft aerodynamic flow control system that is highly compact and lightweight with the ability of being deactivated when not required.